SYDNEY (Reuters) -- Australia confirmed on Wednesday it would buy 40 Black Hawk military helicopters from the United States for an estimated 2.8 billion Australian dollars ($1.96 billion), finalizing a sale signed off by the U.S. State Department last August.
The Lockheed Martin Corp UH-60M Black Hawks will replace the Army's fleet of MRH-90 Taipan choppers, which have been plagued for years by maintenance issues. Delivery of the new helicopters will begin this year.
